title: Dynamics of Dpp signaling and proliferation control.
abstract: Morphogens, such as Decapentaplegic (Dpp) in the fly imaginal discs, form graded concentration profiles that control patterning and growth of developing organs. In the imaginal discs, proliferative growth is homogeneous in space, posing the conundrum of how morphogen concentration gradients could control position-independent growth. To understand the mechanism of proliferation control by the Dpp gradient, we quantified Dpp concentration and signaling levels during wing disc growth. Both Dpp concentration and signaling gradients scale with tissue size during development. On average, cells divide when Dpp signaling levels have increased by 50%. Our observations are consistent with a growth control mechanism based on temporal changes of cellular morphogen signaling levels. For a scaling gradient, this mechanism generates position-independent growth rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Geneva University, 30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wartlick
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mumcu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kicheva
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bittig
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seum
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jülicher
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González-Gaitán
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003198:Computer Simulation; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009154:Mutation; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C064196:dpp protein, Drosophila